Paper-making typically involves forming, pressing, drying and reeling of a paper web passing through the paper machine. Current day paper-making machines operate at high speed and reel bars provided in the winding section of the machine must maintain an uninterrupted winding of the web onto the reel bar.
The reel bar contacts in nip engagement a driving drum and is driven by this engagement so that the paper web passing in contact with the driving drum is wound onto the reel bar. The reel bar usually is supported on rails during the reeling operation. Tension is provided to the web by running the driving drum faster than the speed of the previous section of the paper-making machine. The tension and nip pressure can be varied to produce rolls of paper with a desired tightness.
This form of winding with the driving drum contacting the reel bar has a tendency to have an uneven nip pressure over the width of the web. This is usually due to roll deflection. Roll deflection effects the tension of the web wound onto the reel bar and is more severe when the web being reeled is recycled. With environmental concerns, an increased usage of recycled paper has occurred. Recycled paper includes a wide variety of paper products and the incorporation of recycled fiber in newsprint and other paper furnishes.
Accordingly, it is believed that the use of center assist mechanism in the reeling/winding operation will result in a more even winding tension to the reel bar. While center assist winding is known in the art, it is believed that the center assist winding device of the present invention provides a novel structure that results in an even tension being provided to the web wound onto the reel bar.